Metal-punching machine



Nov. 29, 1927.

G. P THOMAS METAL PUNCHING MACHINE Filed Dec. 31, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Nov. 29, 1927. 1,650,748

G. P. THOMAS IETAL PUNCHING MACHINE I Filed Dec. 31, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR WITNE 5 SE5 Nov. 29, 1927.

G. P. THOMAS IET AL PUNGHING MACHINE Filed Dec; 31, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR QM Nov. 29, 1927. V 1,sso,74s

G. P. THOMAS METAL ruucmye MACHINE Filed Dec. 31, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet -73 Si L as 75 4 65 77 4 7 A on v 0 6a 40 b I M1,. :5: 45 J5 '1 a;

i 4; W46 43 43 61 v WITNESS ES luvsfnon Patented Nov. 29, 1927.

UNITED Ji-STATES- enonon r. THOMAS, 101? eLEnsHAw, PENNSYLVANIA.

METAL-PUNCHING MACHINE.

Applicationfiled December 31, 1926. serial No. 158,198. i

The invention relates to metal punching machines of the type in which a templet and work support is mounted for movements with relation to a punch, and in which index fingers or finder pins are arranged to cooperate with the templet to properly position work for punching. Q

In my United States Patent No. 1,602,421 dated October 12, 1926 there is disclosed a machine ofthe type here contemplated, and which comprises a punching machine having a reciprocatory punch head equipped. with a plurality of punching tools ot ditfenent diameters each controlledihy gag. Arranged for movementswith relation to the punch there is a work and temple/t support which is constructed for universai move ments in a horizontal plane, these movements heing e liiected hy -manuallyyoper ated driving connections. Adjacent to the templet-receiving part of the support a plurality of finder, pins-are mounted for vertical movements into andtrompertorations in the templet to properly position the work for punching, The several tinder pins are of different diameters "for positioning the work to he punched "by the tools of di fi'erent diameters, and a hand operated leveris provided for moving each lfin-dc-rfpin into a templet perforation after an operator has moved the support to bring atemplet pert-oration into registration with a finder pin. Gag-contro lling connections extend hetween the finder pins and punch gags so that when the particular pin is moved into a -templet perforation a punch will be moved to render operative the required punching tool.

a In the operation of the machine a workman uses one hand for operating the driving connections to move the "Work support one direction, and his other hand to mov-e the work support in another direction. When he observes that a work support has been so moved that a tempiet perforation is in or substantially in registration with a desired finder pin, it isnecessarytoi hi-1 t-oreiease one of the driving connections and engage the finder pin operating lever to move the pin downwardly. It the ternp let pent-oration is then not sufficiently close to registrationwith the finder pin, it isnccessary' for the workman to release the levers and again manipulate the wor-l: support driving connections,a matter which causes considerable delay in the punching operation.

y The object of this invention is to provide a punching machine of the type stated in which-simpleand-efiective provision is made for selectively mechanicaliy moving each of the finder pins into a templet perforation or otherwise into engagement with a teinplet, leaving the hands of the operator continuouslyafree to move the work and templet support to bring the templet into proper registration with the finder pins;

' The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, of which Fig. '1 is somewhat digrammatic side elevation of the com- 'plete machine; Fig. 2 a plan view of the makc lnne; Figs. 3 and 4 transverse sectional views to enlarged scale, the planes of view heing taken, respectively, .on "the "lines HL-IH and IV-IV, Fig. 2 Fig. 5 a detail elevational view of the finder pin operatingmechanism, the plane at view being ind ated hy the tine V--V, Fig. 4; Fig. 6

horizontai view taken on theline VI-VI,

Fig.- 4; and "Fig. 7 a wiring diagram showingelectri-c connections for controlling the operation oi the machine.

@According to this invention a machine of the type disclosed in my said patent, and briefly described ahove, is provided with a prime mover for moving the finder pins into ten'iiplet perforations or their equivalents. and selective means are provided for connesting each iinderpi n to the prime mover so that but one finder pin is moved into enoeinent with a templet for each punching operation; l V-hile various forms of prime movers nz'iy he provided, itis preferred to use electro-m'agnet having a movahle armature to which a connection from each tinder pin may he made so that upon energizing the electro-magnet the armature is moved to cause theconnected finder pin to,

engagethe tempiet. For energizing the elec tho-"magneto controlswitch "is preferably area-aged in convenientposition for operation a foot of a workman whose hands are then free to manipulate the driving con nections tormoving thework and templet support. As in the machine of my said pat ent, "connections preterablyextend hetween the finder pins and punch so thatvvhen the prime =111IOV6-I-IHQ-VQS a finder pin it simultas neousiy moves a punch gag to render a punching tool operative. 1

Having reterence now to the illustrative embodiment of the invention, and first to Figs. 1 and 2, a universally movable work be moved towards and from punch 3. Upon plate ,10.

rollers 7 attached totthe side of. frame 5 there is mounted an elongated carriage 8- for movements longitudinally of the frame, the carriage being provided w1thclamps'9 for the engagement ofa sideof aplate 10 which it is desired to punch, which plate otherwise .rests freely upon aseriesoftransverserollers 11 borne by frame 5. ,In a similar manner carriage 8 is provided with clamps 12 for engaging the'side of a templet 13 which is shown as beingiprovided with perforations corresponding in arrangement and in relative sizes to the desired punching of i For moving frame .5 toward and from punch 3the front side of the frame is preferably provided with-a shaft 15 having pinions 16 attached to,its.ends which engage racks 17 borne byend standards 1. Shaft 15 may be rotated by a hand wheel 18 attached to a bevel pinion 19 whichmeshes a vwith a bevel gear 20 connected to the shaft.

t ca r a In a similar manner-carriage 8 may be moved longitudinally upon frame 5 by' a hand wheel 21 attached to a shaft 22 (Fig. 4) which is provided with a pinion 23 meshing with a rack 24 attached to the side of The detailed construction of the work and templet support and its connections for manually moving frame 5 and carriage 8 are fully shown and explained in my prior PatentNo. 1,570,928, and accordingly further explanations of them are here omitted; It will be understood, however, that'the present invention is not limited to the particular form and construction of the work and templet support mechanism herein shown. 9 r

Punch 3 is provided with a punching head 3Q adapted to be reciprocated in the customary manner by a rotatable shaft 31 provided with a movableclutch element 32 adapted to engage a clutch element 33 which is normally rotated continuously by a motor 34 through the driving connections clearly shown in Fig. 3. Clutch element 32 is preferably moved into engagement with its cooperating elementj33 by an electro-magnet 35 having an armature 36 connected by a bell crank lever 37- to clutch element 32, the energization of magnet35 preferablybeing T effected in the manner presently to be explained. Punch head 30 is shown in Figs. 1 andflas being provided with a plurality of yieldingly urged upwardly by a spring 42. v

For throwing the gag of punching tool 38 into position to render such tool operative at the same time that this finderpin is caused to enter a perforation in templet 13,

the upper end of the finder pin is preferably connected to the outer end of a lever 43 pivotally supported intermediate of its ends by a pivoted link 44. The inner end of lever 43 is connected by a link 45 to the outer end of an arm 46 attached to shaft 40 so that when the finder pin ismoved downwardly shaft 40 will be rotatedto position the gag connected to the shaft through link 39. In a similar manner finder pins 41, 41 and 41 are connected respectively to shafts 40", 40 and 40 for controlling the gags of punches 38", 38 and 38.

Preferably arranged above links 43 there is an electro-magnet 50 supported by a frame 51 and provided with a movable armature 52. To the lower end of this armature there .is attached a link 53 which engages a horizontally disposed rod 54 attached at its ends to the free ends of arms 55 which. are pivotally mounted, as'at 56, to the sides of frame 51. Extending upwardly from, and pivotally attached at its lower end to, lever 43 there is an arm 60 provided at its upper end with a hook adapted to be moved into engagement with rod 54. Arm 60 is connected to a control rod 61 provided intermediate of its ends with a groove 62 adapted to receive a horizontally disposed rod 63 supported; by brackets 64attached to the sides of frame 4. In a similar manner levers 43, 43 and 43 are provided withhook arms 60, 60 and 60, respectively, to which there are attached control rods 61, 61 and 61 for positioning the hook arm's and holding any one of them in engagement with rod 54.

As illustrated in Figs. 4 and 6, hook arm 60 is in engagement with rod 54, and the remaining hook arms are out of engagement with it. \Vith the parts so arranged, the energization of electro-magnet 50 causes armature 52 with hook-arm 60 attached to it to rise and move the inner end of lever 43 upwardly withoutmoving the several corresponding levers. This results in a downward movement of finder pin 41 and in a 1'0- tation of shaft 40 to move the gag of punch 38 into punclroperating position. Whenit is. desired to use, another finder pin andto accordingly render another punching tool operative, hook arml 60ji s disengaged from rod 5e by lifting con trol rod 61; free-t from frame5 of theivork and templet support. is

preferably provided with a platformi-"TO on which awo-rkmanr-stands whilemanipulating hand Wheels 18 and 21 to moveframe 5 and carriage 8. The floor ofathisplatformgis shown, as being provided Withyanelectric switch 72 for controlling the flow ofcurrent through an electr c conductor 73 leading to electro-magnet 50. Thus a workinan while using his hands to manipulate the work and templet support may close the SWltChWlth his foot to energize inagnetl andthereby cause a finder pin to movedownwardly.,lf

tht finder pin is notinexactregistration with a templet perforation he may continue to manipulate the support until registration is effected, or so closely efiectedqthat :the power of the electro-magnetrvvill become effective to force the tapered end; of the finder pin into the perforationand thereby effectothe final movement oflthe Work and templet support. a H i;

The machine also includes provision for automatically closing an electric I circuit through electro-Inagnet 35 for moving olutch element 32 (Fig. of the punch into engagen' ent with clutch element 33iat the time a finder pin is moved througha perforation of the templet. To this endwthere maybe.

mounted on frame 4 a fixed electric contactor 75.:and a movablecontactor,76 carried hy the outer end of apivoted arm77. To the pivot rod of arm 77, there is attached an arm '78 connected to a link 79 provided with a plurality of slots for engaging arms 80, S0, 80 and 80 attached, respectively, to shaft-s 4L0, i0, 401* and 40. .[lhus when, for example, shaft 40 is rotated, arm, 80 moves link 79 to cause cont-actor 76 g to en: gage .contactor 75 to close a circuit; through aconductor 81 leading to clutch controlling electro-uiagnet35. lt is noted that the an rangement here such that contactor 76 is not brought into engagementtvith .contactor 75 until a finder pin has fully entereda perforation in the teinpletr By suchyco ordination of parts the punching! machine will not be set in operation. when a' finder pin is moved downwardly and rests uponthe teinplet. To remove contactor 7 6,from contactor 75 after a finder pin hasheien removed from a teinplet perforation, a spring 85 is connected at one end to frame land at its other end to arm 78. 1 y a In Fig. '7 there is shown a wiring diagrain illustrating thexelectrical connections for effecting the operation; of the machine. From supply.conductors; and 91, conductorsf 73 and .92 lead through electrorinagnet 50, the flow of current throughwoondud tor 73-heing controlled by switch 72. Ina similar manner conductors 81Ha11d 93 lead from the supply conductorsthroughelectrm magnet 35, flow rbeing.controlled through omductor 81 v hyyoontactors 75 and 7,6. In the operation of the machine, a n-orkman stands upon platform TOandfirstmoves one Oifrthe control rods (31 to position one of the hook armsGO in engagementvvith rod 54:-

attached to armature 52 (Fig. 4). He then turns hand'wheels l8 and 21 to move frame 5 and carriage 8 in such manneras to position a templetperforation below the finder pin which is then connected to armature 52. When the finder pin is in or near registration with atemplet, perforation, the operator closeselectrie switch 72 with his foot to cause current to flow through conductors 73 and ,92 for energizing, electro-magnet 50. Tile armature of the magnet is thendrawn upwardly to simultaneously cause the outer end of a lever 43 tomove a finder pin dQWllvardly, one'of the punch gag control shafts 40 to rotate, andcontactor arm 77110 move downwardly. If the finder pin is not in exact registration :With a templet perform t-ion, the workman continues to manipulate hand Wheels 18 and 2lwto move the Work and templet support until registration is effected, or sonearly effected that the tapered end of the finder pin itself moves the Work and templetisupport by reason of the down- Ward pressure applied to it through the en.- ergiaing of velectro-maguet 50. hVhen the finder pin finally enters a teinplet perforation, the connections between it and a shaft 40 movesone of the punch gags to render the punch operative, and the connections be tween (it and contactor arm 77 causes 0on1 tactory76 to engage contactor 75 to close a circuit through electro-magnet 35 for setting the reciprocating head of the punch in oper- -ation.- a, I a After a tiuderpin has entered a perforation the worlmianlmayTemovehis foot from switch 72, Whichthen automatically breaks the circuit through conductor 7 3 todeener gize electro-magnet 50. Spring then acts upon the ,iinder pin to remove it from the perforation, and, through the connections between the finder pin and the punch-coin trolling gagfloavithdraw the gag. When it is desired to punch a hole of a different diameter hoohu arm 60, then conipleting the connections between a finderpin and armature 52, is; moved outwardly to breakthis connection, A and i any i other "desired hook arnr is moved to establish connections vbetween the moving armature and another finder pin. This operation is repeated and varied punching of a plate or it understood that, within thegscope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise thanspecifically shown and described; 1 1 r I v Iclaim as my invention: I

r 1. The combination with a punching machine provided with a plurality of selective punches, anda movable work-and templet support provided with means for engaging a blank and atemplet; of a plurality of finder pins movable into and from cooperating engagement with the templet, a prime mover for movin the finder pins into engagement with tie templet, and selective means for connecting each-finder pin to said prime'mover. 1 V a 2. The combination with a punching machine provided with a plurality of selective punches, and a movable work and templet support provided with means for engaging a blank and a templet; of a plurality of finder pins movable into and from cooperating engagement with the templet, an electro-magnet-for moving a finder pin into engagement with the templet,and selective means for connecting each finder pin to said'magnet.

3. The combination with, apunching machine provided witha pluralityof selective punches, and a movable work and templet support provided with means for engaging a blank and a templet; of a plurality of finder pins movable into and from cooperating engagement with the templet, an electro-magnet provided with a movable armature, and link connections between each finder pin and said armature whereby energization of said magnet is rendered effective for moving any of said finder pins into cooperative engagement with the said templet.

4. The combination with a punching machine provided with a plurality of selective punches, and a movable work and templet support provided with means'for engaging a blank and atemplet; of aplurality of finder pins movable into and from cooperating engagement with the templet, an electro-magnet provided with a movable armature arranged above said finder pins, and releasable link connections between each finder pin and said armature whereby energization of said magnet is rendered effective for moving any ofsaid finderpins into cooperative engagement. with said templet.

5. The combinationof a metal punching machine provided with a plurality of selective punches, a universally movable work and templet support provided with means for engaging a blank and a perforated templet, a plurality-of finder pins movable into'and-from the templet perforations connections extending between each of said pins and said punches for controlling the latter, a prime mover formoving the finder ins and punch controlling connections, an selective means for connecting each finder pin and its'punch controlling-connection to said prime mover. a

6; The combination of -ametalpunching machine provided' with a lurality of selective punches, auniversal movable work and templet support provided with means for engaginga blank and a perforated templet, a plurality of finder pins movable into and from-the templetperforations, connections extending between each of said pins and said punches for controlling the latter, an electro-magnet for moving the finder pins and punch-controlling connections, and selective manually controlled means for'connecting each finder pin and its punch-controlling connection to said magnet.

7. The combination of a metal punching machine provided with a plurality of selectivepunches, a universally movable work and templet sup ort provided with means for engaging a-biiinkand a perforated templet, a plurality of finder pins movable into and from the templet perforations, connections extendingbetween each of said pins and said punches for controlling the latter, an electro-magnet provided with a movable armature, and releasable connections between each finder pin and said armature whereby energization of said magnet is rendered effective for movin any of said finder pins into a templet per oration and for moving the punch-controlling connection attached to'the finder pin.

'8. The combination with a punching machine provided with a reciprocating head, a motor for reciprocating said head, drive connections between said motor and head, and a movable clutch for making and breaking said connections; of a universally movable work and templet support provided with means for engaging a blank and a perforated'templet, a finder pin normally held above and out of contact with said templet, a prime mover connected to said finder pin for moving it towards said templet and into a perforation thereof, and means controlled by the movement of said prime mover for moving said'clutch to make said drive connections upon the movement by said prime mover of said finder pin into engagement with a templet perforation.

'9, The combination with a punching machine provided with a reciprocatin head, a motor for reciprocating said head, drive connections between said motor and head, a movable clutch for making and breaking said connections, and an electro-magnet for moving said clutch; of a universally movable Work and templet supportprovided with means for engaging a blank and a perforated templet, a finder pin normally held above and out of contact With said templet, an

electrically operated prime mover connected to said finder pin for moving it towards said templet and into a perforation thereof, and means controlled by the movement of said prime mover for closing a circuit through actuating it to move v10 GEORGE P. THOMAS. 

